Last Modified: Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 6:45 a.m.

Jack Dean Loftin Jr., a Lakeland mortgage broker who tricked online customers into buying tickets that he didn't have, was sentenced Friday to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay $87,000 in restitution.

Loftin, 42, already has paid $40,000 of that amount, according to the State Attorney's Office.

Loftin pleaded guilty Nov. 30 to 24 counts of grand theft. Prosecutors dropped an initial charge of aggravated white-collar crime, a first-degree felony that would have been punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Circuit Judge Mark Hofstad also sentenced him to 13 years of probation, during which he must pay the rest of what he owes. The conditions of his probation include turning over his tax returns to his probation officer and having only a single checking account and credit card.

More than 180 complaints were made against Loftin to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a nationwide clearinghouse of cyber crimes. He made excuses for months, and in one case for as long as two years, to customers demanding tickets or refunds.

A former assistant to Loftin told investigators he had the idea of becoming an entrepreneur and posting tickets for sale that he didn't have but planned to get later.

The assistant said Loftin had tried to repay customers but didn't have the money.

<p>BARTOW | His victims never got their VIP concert tickets to Jimmy Buffet, Miley Cyrus and Aerosmith.</p><p>But they'll get their money back.</p><p>Jack Dean Loftin Jr., a Lakeland mortgage broker who tricked online customers into buying tickets that he didn't have, was sentenced Friday to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay $87,000 in restitution.</p><p>Loftin, 42, already has paid $40,000 of that amount, according to the State Attorney's Office.</p><p>Loftin pleaded guilty Nov. 30 to 24 counts of grand theft. Prosecutors dropped an initial charge of aggravated white-collar crime, a first-degree felony that would have been punishable by up to 30 years in prison.</p><p>Circuit Judge Mark Hofstad also sentenced him to 13 years of probation, during which he must pay the rest of what he owes. The conditions of his probation include turning over his tax returns to his probation officer and having only a single checking account and credit card.</p><p>More than 180 complaints were made against Loftin to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a nationwide clearinghouse of cyber crimes. He made excuses for months, and in one case for as long as two years, to customers demanding tickets or refunds.</p><p>A former assistant to Loftin told investigators he had the idea of becoming an entrepreneur and posting tickets for sale that he didn't have but planned to get later.</p><p>The assistant said Loftin had tried to repay customers but didn't have the money.</p>